LUCKNOW, Dec. 24 -- Asserting that there is no fertiliser shortage in the state, Uttar Pradesh agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Wednesday said that 64 districts have more than 4,000 metric tonnes of fertilisers available for farmers, while only 11 districts have stocks below 200 metric tonnes.

Shahi made this statement in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly while replying to the opposition during an adjournment motion on the availability of fertilisers and payment of sugarcane dues to farmers.

The issue was raised by SP MLAs Saiyada Khatoon, Atul Pradhan, and Pankaj Malik.

Without naming the Samajwadi Party, the minister said that sugarcane cultivation during the previous regime was spread over 22 lakh hectares. "Under the...